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Liposuction

Liposuction Procedure

Liposuction is performed to contour areas of localised fatty excess. It works well for localised bulges in patients with good skin tone. It is not an effective treatment for generalised obesity and does not work well in areas of loose skin.

The most commonly treated areas are the hips, thighs, tummy, chest (gynaecomastia) and knees. Less commonly treated are the calves, flanks and back.

Liposuction Process

The area for treatment is marked. Under general anaesthetic the tissues are infused with a solution of dilute local anaesthetic and adrenaline. A 3-4mm cannula is used to create tunnels and suck out the fat. The contour is carefully reduced. The scars are very small at 5-6mm.

Typical areas for liposuction on the back of the body

Typical areas for liposuction on the front of the body

Liposuction Aftercare

Patients are encouraged to mobilise early. Routine bathing is unrestricted. The wounds may ooze a little for the first 24 hours. We do not generally recommend pressure garments as they can be uncomfortable and have not been shown to improve long term outcomes.

The surgery may be a day case or require a one night stay depending on each individual case.

The time off work may vary depending on the size of area treated and your job. It usually takes a few weeks for the swelling to settle. You will be kept under review until everything settles.

Related Treatments

Are there any risks?

All surgery incurs an element of risk such as bleeding, bruising, swelling and infection, pain and numbness Specific to liposuction there is a small a small risk of irregularity of contour, numbness, asymmetry and an imperfect result. The risks of complications affecting you general health such as blood clots in your veins (DVT) or chest infection are minimised by careful risk assessment and precautionary measures.

Will I be happy with the result?

With all cosmetic procedures there is a small risk of dissatisfaction with the outcome. We aim to minimise this by carefully evaluating why you want surgery, what you want from surgery and why you are having surgery now.

Will I be covered if something goes wrong?

Our 'inclusive care' policy is such that if there is a complication or adverse outcome from surgery within the first year then we can provide any further treatment required at no additional cost to you.